Council approves social development funding allocations

The City of Lethbridge’s Community Social Development (CSD) team is responsible for the administration and monitoring of provincial and federal funds to prevent and address social issues and needs in our municipality.

CSD works closely with community stakeholders to identify service needs, initiate, and evaluate procurement processes, seek funding recommendations from the Community Wellbeing and Safety Strategy (CWSS) Advisory Committee and approval by City Council, then execute and monitor service delivery agreements.

Lethbridge City Council Tuesday voted in favour of several funding allocations, based on recommendations from the April 20 Cultural and Social Standing Policy Committee meeting. No City of Lethbridge tax funding is being solicited to meet these allocation requests.

City Council will adopt the following recommendations of the CWSS Advisory Committee regarding funding from the federal Reaching Home (RH) funding portfolio:

• Approve up to $40,000 annually to be allocated. as an amended addition to the previously approved annual operational budget to the Blood Tribe/Kainai Nation, to support the continued operation of the Blackfoot Resource Hub program, set to end on December 31, 2024
• Approve up to $120,000 annually over a four-year term to be allocated to the Blood Tribe Department of Health to deliver the By-Names-List project
• Approve up to $70,000 annually as an amended addition to the previously approved annual operational budget to the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization, to fund a Senior Support Navigator
• Approve up to $50,000 annually over a four-year term, to be allocated for the implementation of Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS)

“These funding allocations represent several important avenues of work to prioritize health-supporting developments and the wellbeing of all residents,” Councillor Mark Campbell, who is also Chair of the Cultural and Social SPC. “The work of the CWSS focuses on holistic wellbeing and community-derived solutions for Lethbridge’s social landscape.”

“Utilizing these Federal Reaching Home funds for these programs enhances our understanding of local homelessness issues and the provision of appropriate services centered on the integrated coordinated access system, which supports individuals at risk or experiencing homelessness through a no wrong door approach,” says Andrew Malcolm, CSD General Manager.

As part of Tuesday’s approvals, the City Manager and City Clerk will be authorized to sign the appropriate amended funding agreements, which are also subject to continuous administrative review and optional renewal at the discretion of the City of Lethbridge pending available funding from the Government of Canada.